Caribou are the largest members of the reindeer family (Rangifer tarandus) and are native to the arctic and sub-arctic regions of Siberia, North America and Greenland. Reindeer, which are traditionally herded in northern Europe and Eurasia, were introduced into Alaska in 1892. Although some herding of reindeer continues in Alaska today, many of the introduced reindeer interbred with caribou. The four caribou subspecies-barren ground, Peary's, tundra and woodland-differ greatly in range, size, coloration, behavior, food habits and habitat use.

Woodland Caribou
The woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou is a large, dark caribou that is usually found in small herds in (boreal) forests from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Average weights are 180 kg for bulls and 135 kg for cows. In mountainous areas of western Canada, woodland caribou make seasonal movements from winter range in forested valleys to summer range on high, alpine tundra. Farther east, in the more level areas of boreal forest, they may move only a few kilometres seasonally from mature forest to open bogs. The George River Herd, however, is an exception to this pattern and makes extensive seasonal movements between forested and tundra habitats in Quebec and Labrador. This herd is currently estimated at over 500 000 animals and is the largest herd of caribou in Canada.

Woodland caribou became extinct in Prince Edward Island before 1873 and in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by the 1920s. Today only a small, relic herd on the Gaspé Peninsula remains of the maritime woodland caribou population south and east of the St. Lawrence River. This herd is considered threatened by COSEWIC. Caribou have also been severely reduced on the southern edge of their distribution across the rest of Canada and exist only in small, scattered herds from British Columbia to Quebec.

(Source - BlueWaterBigGame.com & Canadian Wildlife Service)